Web feeding mechanism



T ;1 50 M 4 m N 4 Sheets-Sheet l .INVENTOR Fran/c E Weller ATTQRN Y-S Aug. 30, 1938. F. E. WELLER WEB FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 6, 1952 llllmm Aug. 30, 1938. F. E. WELLER WEB FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 6, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lul ....n" 1. mmm

I" hmlllllu'. 'llllun RN m m mm M. M NQ w .F I Q g m g a RN INVENTOR Fran/BE Weller A IORNEVZ;

Aug. 30, 1938. F. s. WELLER WEB FEEDING mncrmmsm Original Filed Oct. 6, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 iiiuh.

mvzm'on FmnlcE Weller W, 2J6! ATTORNE Aug. 30, 1938. F. WELLER 2,128,367

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 6, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNVENTdR Y Frank Weller s W, 9- M ATTORN Y6 Patented A... so, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEB FEEDING MECHANISM Frank E. Weller, Bloomfield, N. 1., assignor to Trans-Luz corporation, a corporation of Dela- My invention relates to mechanism for feeding gflgrawing' a printed web through a projection In an important respect, my invention relates to a combined web-feeding and tensioning arrangement for feeding the web through a projection field while maintaining the same taut and tailane to insure highly satisfactory image projecon.

My invention has further reference to novel features and characteristics of mechanism of the character stated whereby said mechanism may be efliciently and satisfactorily operated by a person of little skill.

Various other objects, advantages and characteristics of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

' My invention resides in the feeding mechanism, 20 arrangements and features of the character hereina'fter described and claimed. a

For an understanding of my invention and for an illustration of some of the forms thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanying 25 drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a side elevational view of mecha- 35 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view, with parts omitted, 01' a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, 40 and is taken approximately on the line 6-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction 01. the arrows;

Fig. '7 is an elevational' view, partly in section, and is taken approximately on the line I-l of Fig.- 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; 45

part of the web-tensioning mechanism; Fig. 8 is an elevatlonal view illustrating a modification of the invention; Fig. 9 is a plan-view of a part of the mecha- 5o nism shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view, partly in section, and is taken on the line' Ill-III of Fig. 9;

11 isaivertlcal sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating a modii ication oi the in- 55 vention;

Fig. 7a is a sectional view, partly in plan, of a Fig. 12 is a plan view, partly in section, of a part 'of the mechanism shown in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view; partly in elevation, illustrating an arrangement for passing convection heat currents into contact with a sec- 5 tion of the printed web.

In general, myinvention relates to a combined printing device and projector, said device printing news items on a web which is moved through the projector to project images of the 10 printed characters on a display screen. Although combined devices of this general character are well known in the art, my invention is important because involving novel features contributing greatly to improved projection and simplification 15 of operation.

For a detailed description of my invention, reference is to be first had to Figs. 1 and wherein C represents any suitable cabinet or housing having, as herein shown, a detachable or movable door (I. Disposed within the cabinet 0 is a projector P and a printing device D, the latter being movable to the exterior of the cabinet C as hereinafter more particularly described.

As more fully described in the copendingUnkles application Serial No. 325,551, filed Deceniber 12, 1928, and which has become U. S. Patent No. 2,018,691, dated Oct. 29, 1935, I represents a base or support which may be suitably secured to the bottom wall of the -cabinet C. Rotatabl'y mounted on the base I is a. turntable 2 which may carry a. pivoted latch 3 coactable with a notch in the base I for retaining the parts in the normal position shown in Fig. 1, the latch 3 being releasable, however, so that the turntable 2 may be 5 rotated through an angle of 180 degrees into the position shown in Fig. 2

Upstandingfrom the turntable 2 is a standard 4 on which the aforesaid projector P is supported in any suitable manner.

Pivoted to opposite sides of the turntable 2 are the lower ends of two pairs of legs 5, 5 and 6, 6, the upper ends of which are pivoted to a table I. The latter carries a pair of spring-controlled latches 8, 8 which coact, respectively, with latching members 9, 9 carried by the standard 4. As clearly appears, the latches 8, 8 serve to retain the aforesaid pairs of legs ,in vertical podtion, Fig. 1, and, when said latches are released, said pairs of legs may be moved to inclined position as shown in Fig. 2 to the extent permitted by one or more chains III, or equivalent.

The printing device D, in the example herein shown, is of the type known to the art as a. Dow-Jones printer. The printing m proper is detachably retained on the table I by a frame plate Ii secured in suitable manner to said table 1. Depending from the table 1 is a housing l2 for the motor and other operating parts of the printing mechanism.

As well understood in theart, the printing device D comprises spaced, upstanding plates in which is journaled a horizontal shaft l3, Fig. 3,

. carrying a type wheel l4 having characters distributed around the periphery thereof. The wheel I4 is freely slidable along the shaft l3 but is keyed thereto for rotatable movement therewith. Coactable with the type wheel I4 is an inking roller ii to which ink is fed by a roller 16, ink being supplied to the roller It in suitable manner as well understood in the art. The rollers l5. and ii are supported on a suitable frame l'l slidable on a rod II and with which the type wheel l4 together with said rollers l5 and I6 are movable as a unit in either direction longitudinally of the shaft l3. Coactable with the type wheel I4 is a platen or presser bar I! which is normally biased to the position shown in Fig. 3 and which is intermittently actuated, as hereinafter described, for printing purposes.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of the legs 5, 6 support a suitable bracket on which is mounted a reel 20 having a web W wound thereon. This platen l9, said web W further extending through the projectorP as hereinafter to be described. After the printing wheel l4 has been rotated to a selected position, the platen I9 is actuated to thrust the web W into engagement with the selected character on said printing wheel.

The projector P comprises a housing 2| suitably supported on the standard 4, said housing having disposed therein a lamp bulb 22 or other suitable source of illumination. Light from the lamp 22 emerges as a light beam through a lateral opening 2la in the housing 2l.

Arranged in horizontal alinement with the aforesaid opening 2ia is a light passage formed by a bottom wall 23 and spaced side walls 24 and 24a, these walls forming a single casting which is suitably secured to the lamp housing structure. Disposed in the light passage thus formed are a pair of condenser lenses 25, 2511 which are detachably retained in operative position in suitable manner, as by the transverse rod 25 and spring members 21.

Transversely arranged with respect to the side walls 24, 24a is a front wall 23, Figs. 3 and 7, which forms a part of another casting suitably secured to the casting which comprises the walls 23, 24, 24a and which'is provided with an aperture 28a forming the projection field of the herein described projection mechanism, the condenser lens 25 also abutting said wall 23 as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

As illustrated particularly in Fig. 3, the aforesaid front wali 23 comprises upper extensions 29 at the respective opposite sides thereof, each of these extensions terminating in a pair of spaced cars 30, 300, Fig. 'I.

The extensions 23 of the front wall 28 form bearings for a transverse shaft 3| on which a plurality of spaced rollers 32 are mounted for rotatable movement therewith. As shown particularly in Fig. 5, it is desirable that each of the rollers 32 be provided with peripheral rows of corrugations along the respective opposite sides thereof, these rows of corrugations being separated by a channel disposed centrally thereof.

Depending from the aforesaid bottom wall 23 are a plurality of spaced ears which support a transverse rod 33, Fig. 3. Mounted on the rod 33 for free oscillatory movement are a plurality of spaced fingers 34 which extend in parallel relation beneath the wall 23, Figs. 3- and In, each finger 34 terminating in an inclined surface as shown in Fig. 3. The fingers 34 are pomtively biased for movement in a counter-clockwise direction. Fig. 3, and, to this end, it is desirable that each finger be formed with an oflset mass of material 34a of sufiicient weight to obtain the desired biasing effect. To prevent the operative ends of the fingers 34 from dropping unduly, it is desirable for each finger 34 to comprise a section 34b through which is threaded a screw 35 coactable with the lower surface of the wall 23, Fig. 3.

Referring particularly'to Figs. 3, 5 and 6, there is shown a frame 33 which, along each side thereof, comprises a pair of spaced ears 31, 3141 so arranged that one pair thereof fits snugly between onepair of the ears 3., 30a while the other pair thereof fits snugly between the other pair of the ears 30, 30a. As'shown on the drawings, a screw 331s threaded through the pair of ears 30, 33a at the left, Fig. I, and the pair of ears 31, 314 which are registered therewith. that the frame 35 may be swung clockwise from the full to the broken line position of Fig. 5 about the screw 33 as an axis. The frame 33 may positively be retained in the full line position of Fig. 5 by a screw 39 threaded in the ear 3. as shown at the right of Fig. 7.

In accordance with my invention, the screws 33 and 39 may be interchanged from the respective positions shown in Fig. 5. If this is done, the frame 36 may be swung from the full to dot-anddash line position of Fig. 5 about the relocated screw 33 as an axis. The advantage of this feature will be hereinafter pointed out.

Mounted in upstanding lugs 43, 43a of the frame 36 is a rod 4| on which a plurality of rollers 42 are mounted. These rollers 42 comprise sections 42a which coact, respectively, with the aforesaid rollers 32 and each roller 42 also comprises sections 42b which gives weight thereto.

I As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, the rollers 42 are loosely mounted on the rod 4| whereby they are biased in a downward direction for a reason hereinafter to be stated.

The aforesaid frame 36 comprises sections 330, 36a extending downwardly outside of the path of the projecting light beam, said sections carrying a journaled shaft 43 having a plurality of spaced wheels 44 mounted thereon for rotatable movement therewith. Preferably, as illustrated, the wheels 44 are edged and they are so spaced that each wheel 44 coacts with one of the aforesaid fingers 34.

Secured to the frame 36 is a bracket 43 formed in part as an annulus for the reception of the casing 45 of an objective lens. The bracket 45 also comprises depending sections which carry a plate 41 on which a mirror 43 is suitably secured, as by the spring clips 49.

In order to place the herein described projector mechanism in condition for operatiomthe frame It results, therefore,

35 is swung on the pivot 33 until said frame totherebeyond. The frame 36 is then returned to the full line position illustrated in Fig. 5 and the screw 39 placed in the position shown to positively lock said frame in operative position. In so doing, the rollers 44 move against a transverse section of the web W which is gripped between said rollers and the fingers 34. At the same time, the roller sections 42a come into coacting relation with the respective rollers 32 whereby a second transverse section of said web is gripped.

, Preferably, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 13, an area of the top wall of the cabinetC, above the lamp housing 2|, is provided with the slots or passages 50. The web W is passed through this top cabinet-wall C and arranged in overlying relation with respect to this slotted area, said web extending beyond the cabinet and hanging down at one side thereof as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. a

The mechanism with the-web W properly positioned therein for the printing and projecting operations is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The printing mechanism D, as hereinbefore described, comprises the printing wheel l4 which moves stepby-step along the shaft l3 transversely of the web W, while the latter is stationary, to print a line 0 of inforniation thereon. .At the conclusion of each line-printing operation, the printing wheel I4 is automatically returned to its initial position and, simultaneously,.a step of movement is imparted to, a train of gear mechanism which includes the gears 5| and 52, Fig. 3. The gear 52 iscarried by a stub shaft ilrotatabiy mounted in a bracket 54 carried b'yarod 55 secured to the frame of the printing device D, the bracket 54 being maintained in the proper adjusted posi- ,tion on the rod 55 by a screw 56. The shaft 53 is operatively connected to the shaft 3i and, pref-Q erably, a flexible shaft 51 is thus utilized, one end of the shaft 51 being connected to the shaft 53,

Fig. 4, and the other end of said shaft 51 being connected to the shaft 3|, Fig. 7.

The rollers 32 are mounted on the shaft 3|, the web W being gripped between these rollers-and the roller sections 42a. Accordingly, it results that each return of the printing wheel l4 to its initial position effects actuation of the rollers 32 whereby a'step of movement is imparted to the web W, the gear ratio being so chosen as to obtain the desired spacing between the printed lines. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the web W extends over the slotted cabinet area 50 .and hangs down beside the front cabinet wall. The action of gravity on this hanging web section tends to keep the web relatively taut back to" the wheels 42.

It follows, therefore, that the web W is moved upwardly step by step to bring the successive lines of printed matter into the projection field, i. e., the field defined by the aperture 28a. of plate 23.

. Light from the lamp 22 passes from right to left,

i beam thereafter engaging the mirror 43 andbeing deflected vertically upward through the objective Fig. 3, through the condenser lenses :3, 33a, through the aperture 23a, and then through the web section defined by said aperture, the light upwardly to thereby impart corresponding movement to the lines of images on the screen.

An important feature of my invention involves the passage of the web W exteriorly of the casing C and over the grooves 50. 'Heated air from the 5 'lamp 2! ascends through these grooves .and conimportant for that web section in the projection field at any given time to be substantially taut and plane in configuration, i. e., unwrinkied and undistorted. This, in accordance with the present invention, is accomplished in a highly desirable 20 manner. I I

Immediately below the projection field, the web W is gripped at spaced points thereacross by the rollers 44 and the fingers 34 which coact, respec tively, therewith, the offset weights 34a on each 25 of the fingers 34 functioning to bias the latter toward the rollers 44 with sufiicient force to grip the web W in the desired manner. Itfollows, therefore, that equal restraining forces are applied to the web W at spaced points thereacross 30 and it isagainst these forces that the web is pulled upwardly by the rollers 32. The latter to. gether with the roller sections 42a also grip the web at spaced points thereacross and, in an even manner, move the web upwardly against the re- 35 straining force applied thereto by the fingers 34. In practice, it has been demonstrated that a webrestraining and -pulling arrangement of the character just described is highly advantageous and efficient because maintaining the web section in 40 the projection field plane and even with resultant highly satisfactory projection. The. provision of the edged rollers 44 is highly important because these rollers coact with the freshly inked surface of the web W. However, since these rollers are of 45 time. The biasing effect of the above described 55 weights, however, is constant and invariable.

Another important advantage of the herein described invention relates to the arrangement whereby the frame 36 together with the parts carried thereby maybe swung to one side when it 00 becomes ncessary to re-thread' the web through the projector field or otherwise service parts of the machine. By virtue of the disclosed arrangement, the web re-threading operation is extremely simple and readily performable even by an un- Q5 skilled worker.

A further feature of. importance relates to the I interchangeability of the pivot pin-"for the frame 36. Accordingly, it follows that said frame may be moved to either of the broken line positions 7 illustrated in Fig. 5, it beinghecessary simply to reverse the respective positions of the-screws '33 and 39 as desired. It may be desirable thus to interchange these pvot screws due to some localcondition arising connection with a particular .15

installation which might prevent pivotal movement of the frame 35 in one direction while permiting free pivotal movement in the other direction.

In Fig. 2, I have illustrated the printing mechanism D in the servicing position thereof. The door d of the cabinet C has been removed and the turntable 2 has been rotated through an angle of 180 degrees. Thereupon, after release of the latches 8, the printing mechanism is swung on the legs 5, 8 to the extent permitted by the chains l8. It will be observed that the flexible shaft 51 is of such length that the described movement of the printing device D to servicing position may be effected without interfering with the driving connection between said printing device and the web-pulling rollers 32. This obviously, is a distinct advantage. After the printing device D has been returned to normal position, the web section exteriorly of the cabinet may be grasped to pull the web through the projection field until the slack has been taken up and, thereafter, the normal printing and webpulling action occurs.

Referring to Figs. 11 and 12, there is illustrated a modified arrangement for biasing the web into engagement with the rollers 44. Thus, in lieu of the fingers 84, there is utilized a bar 58, the length of which is about the same as the width of the web W. The bar 88 is pivoted for movement in a horizontal plane to a second bar 8| which at one end projects beyond the wall 24 and at its other and projects beyond the wall 24a. Pivoted exteriorly on each of the walls 24 and 24a is a bell crank lever 52 which comprises an offset weight section 52a, the levers 52 being suitably connected to the respective opposite ends of the bar 5|.

The levers 52 tend to move in a clockwise direction, Fig. 12, whereby the bars 5| and 88 are biased ina direction from right to left, Figs.

. 11 and 12. The bar 58 comprises a sloping surface and maintains the web W against the rollers 44 with the required degree of pressure, the pivotal mounting for said bar 88 permitting the same to assume the proper operative position with respect to the rollers 44. The arrangement of Figs. 11 and 12 as thus described gives satisfactory results although the arrangement involving the fingers 34, at present, ispreferred thereover.

In Figs. 8 and 9, I have illustrated a modification of the invention as regards the driving connection between the printing device D and the projector mechanism P. As shown, the member 55 supports a bracket 18 which carries a stub shaft 1| havingsecured thereto a cam 12 together with a gear 18 which meshes with the aforesaid gear 5|.v Pivoted on the bracket 18 is a frame 14 carrying a cam follower I5 and a mercury switch 15, the frame 14 being biased by a spring 11 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 8, whereby the follower 15 is maintained in engagement-with the cam 12. Leading from the switch 15 is a cable comprising a pair of conductors which lead to the respective terminals of a solenoid I8, said cable including the plug I8 which is readily detachable from the socket 80 for opening the circuit to the solenoid 18.' 'The solenoid 18 may be moimted on the exterior surface of the wall 24 and is utilizable for actuating a lever 7 8| which terminates in a gear segment 82 disposed in meshing relation with respect to a gear wheel 88 loosely mounted on the aforesaid shaft 8|. Rotatable with the gear wheel 83 is a disk 84 to which is pivoted a pawl 85 coactable with a ratchet wheel 88 rotatable with said shaft 3|.

As clearly appears in Fig. 8, the cam 12 is of the double-surface type and, as shown in this figure, the cam is in one of its normal positions. The gear ratio of the train of mechanism leading up to the gears 5| and I8 is such that each actuation of said train of mechanism, as efiected by the return of the printing wheel H to its initial position, causes the cam 12 to rotate through an angle of 180 degrees.

It follows, therefore, that when said printing wheel |4 returns to its normal position as stated, the cam 12 is rotated counter-clockwise, Fig. 8, through an angle of 180'degrees. As a result, the switch 15 is tipped in a clockwise direction, Fig. 8, and the circuit through the solenoid I8 is closed. Accordingly, the lever 8| is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 8, to thereby impart a rotatable step of movement to the shaft 3| while the web W is correspondingly moved through the projection field.

Movement of the cam 12 through the angle of 180 degrees occurs almost instantaneously and,

as will be obvious, the switch 15 is immediatelyreturned to the position shown in Fig. 8. As a result, the circuit through the solenoid I8 is reopened and the lever 8| returns to the position shown, the pawl 85 idling with respect to the ratchet wheel 85. The mechanism is now in con dition to impart the next feeding impulse to the web W which occurs, in the manner' described, as soon as the printing wheel l4 again returns to its initial position.

When the application of energy to the shaft 8| is discontinued 'in response to deenergization of the solenoid 18, there occurs some reverse movement of the shaft 3| in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 8, unless special mechanism is provided to prevent such reverse movement. Mechanism for this purpose is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10.

As shown, a housing 85 is suitably secured to the extension 28 of the wall 24 and this housing has a disk 84 rotatable therein, the disk 84 being secured to the shaft 3| for rotatable movement therewith. The housing 85 comprises a passage having therein a ball 83 biased by a spring 88 into engagement with the edge of the disk 84.

When the shaft 8| is moved in web-feeding direction by the pawl 85, it moves in a clockwise direction, Fig. 10. During such movement of the shaft 3|, the disk 84 merely thrusts the ball 83 against the spring 88. However, as will be obvious from Fig. 10, the ball 83 functions as a locking dog and positively prevents counter-clockwise movement of the disk 84 and the shaft 8| which is connected thereto.

Since the ball 88 and disk 84 function as just stated, it results that the shaft 8| does not recede, even slightly, from the position to which advanced by the pawl 85. This is highly desirable because preventing the occurrence of sag of the web section in the projection field. Should this web section sag, the resultant projection is more or less unsatisfactory due to pooi image focus.

Use of the mechanism last described, namely, the housing 85, disk 84, ball 83 and spring 88 is highly desirable with all forms of my invention. Hence, in Fig. 7, I have illustrated such mechanism as applied to the shaft 8| to prevent receding movement thereof after the application of scribed in Figs. 8 and 9, it is necessary merely to detach the members I! and 80 when the printing device D is to be moved .to a position such as shown in Fig. 2.

In the appended claims, it shall be understood that the expressions means for printing," printing device, or equivalent expressions generically comprehend a Dow-Jones or other printer, or any equivalent arrangement such, for example, as a typewriter utilizable for producing or forming characters in'line form transversely of a traveling web.

While the invention has been described with respect to certain particular preferred examples which give satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skllled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Projection apparatus comprising a projection field with respect to which a character-bearing web is movable, a frame, optical structure carried by said frame, and means forming pivotal axes for said frame at opposite sides, respectively, of said projection field.

2. Projection apparatus comprising a projection field with respect to which a character-bearing web is movable, a frame, optical structure carried by said frame, and means forming vertical pivotal axes for said frame at opposite vertical sides, respectively, of said projection field.

3. Projection apparatus comprising a projection field with respect to which a character-bearing web is movable, a frame, an objective lens and a light-reflecting mirror carried by said frame, and means forming vertical pivotal axes for said 40 frame at opposite. vertical sides, respectively, of

said projection field.

4. Projection apparatus comprising a projection field with respect to which a character-bear ing web is movable, sets of coacting rollers at one 45 side of said projection field for drawing said web therethrough, coacting sets of elements at the other side of said projection field for applying a retarding force to said web, a frame carrying one retarding the passage of said web through said projection field, said last named means comprising a plurality of rollers engaging said web at spaced points thereacross, said last named means also comprising fingers coactable, respectively,

with said rollers for engaging the web therebetween.

6. Projection apparatus comprising a projection field with respect to which a character-bearing web is movable, means for drawing said web through said projection field, and means for retarding the passage of said web through said projection field, said last named means comprising aplurality of rollers engaging said web at spaced points thereacross, said last named means also comprising gravity-biased fingers coactable, re-

J spectively,-with said rollers for engaging the web therebetween.

7. Projection apparatus comprising a projection field with respect to which a character-bearing web is movable, sets of coacting rollers at one side of said projection 'field for drawing said web therethrough, coacting sets of elements at the other side of said projection field for applying a retarding force to saidweb, a frame carrying one set of said rollers and one set of said elements, a mirror and an objective lens carried by said 9 frame, and means for movably mounting said frame whereby the set of rollers and elements together with the mirror and lens carried thereby may be moved aside when it becomes necessary to position the web in said projection field.

FRANK E.WELLER, 

